47. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, what are some of the major problems faced by many of the new countries?
Firstly, many of the new countries didn’t know how to become democratic. The people weren’t used to voting and being given a choice and they weren’t used to political parties. They lived in a country where people fought and struggled to get to the top, usually at the expense of others. They were only skilled in edging out their competitors, but knew little about making friends.
Secondly, the countries couldn’t change economies from a command economy to a free market. The government no longer controlled all policies and all businesses; People had to learn how to run a business profitably.
Citizens also had to develop their own initiative to earn a living rather than just sit back and let the state take care of them.
Countries such as Iran no longer look to a central country such as the US. They themselves wanted to be a central state that dominated other states.
These are all the major problems the new countries had to face after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Is this alright?
Thanks
-MC
3 answers
You have covered it. The Soviet Union broke up because of economic collapse, and the new states also had to suffer through that agony. Corruption probably played a part also, under the Soviet state, corruption was a major part of government, and that culture persisted (even to this day).
The other factor the new states had to face was a free press, free speech, and assembly. Neither citizens nor the new states knew how to manage that (and the confusion persists today).
-MC